HISTORY

The Dig In! Yancey Community Garden began one evening in 2009 when two friends – both activists for hunger relief – looked out over three acres of unused land belonging to one of them, and said… “Gee – this field would be a great place for a Community Garden!” Dig In! was born.

We broke ground in April 2010, and by June produce from the garden was being served in a local soup kitchen feeding almost 200 people each Monday.

Since then, Dig In! has grown each year under the care of volunteers, partners, staff, and a board of directors. We give all our produce through established community partnerships and have begun forming neighborhood Harvest Tables where neighbors are encouraged to support one another by sharing their gardens’ harvests.

Dig In! Yancey Community Garden has become a vital and highly regarded service organization in the Burnsville area. It was begun to provide fresh, healthy produce to our neighbors in need of food assistance throughout the county. Dig In! works toward community food security by sharing the knowledge of how to grow food for all. Our goal is to ensure everyone eats fresh produce regardless of income.

Dig In! has provided over 50,000 pounds of vegetables to organizations feeding people in Yancey County through a variety of food share and our Harvest Tables. The garden has created partnerships with the Yancey Extension Service, Yancey Schools, Reconciliation House, Graham’s Children’s Health Services, MY Parish Tipton Hill Food Pantry, Feed My Sheep Food Ministry, Mayland Community College, the Yancey Fund, the Western North Carolina Community Foundation, the Mountain Air Residents Community Fund, Higgins Memorial United Methodist Church, the First Baptist Church of Burnsville, Mitchell/Yancey Partnership for Children, the Toe River Food Security Network, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, The Conservation Fund of NC, The Conservation Trust of NC and other groups to work on community food security, sustainable farming practices and experiential learning models. Dig In! has played an important role in bringing the issue of hunger to the attention of many in our community.